The films started with their first release on the big screen in 2003 with Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, which received positive reviews from the critics and grossed $654 million worldwide. After the first film's success, Walt Disney Pictures revealed that a trilogy was in the works. The franchise's second film, subtitled Dead Man's Chest, was released three years later in 2006; the sequel proved successful, breaking financial records worldwide the day of its premiere. It ended up being the number one film of the year upon earning $1.1 billion at the worldwide box office. The third film in the series, subtitled At World's End, followed in 2007, and Disney released a fourth film, subtitled On Stranger Tides, on May 20, 2011 in conventional 2D, Digital 3-D and IMAX 3D. On Stranger Tides succeeded in grossing more than $1 billion, becoming the second film in the franchise and the eighth film in history to achieve this. So far, the film franchise has grossed $3.72 billion worldwide; it is the eighth highest-grossing film series of all-time and it was the first franchise where more than one film grossed $1 billion worldwide. A fifth film, tentatively subtitled Dead Men Tell No Tales, is currently in pre-production and is set for release on July 7, 2017.[1]

Films[edit]

The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)[edit]

Blacksmith Will Turner teams up with eccentric pirate Captain Jack Sparrow to save his love, Elizabeth Swann, from undead pirates led by Jack's former first mate, Captain Barbossa. Jack wants revenge against Barbossa, who left him stranded on an island before stealing his ship, the Black Pearl, along with 882 pieces of cursed Aztec Gold.

Dead Man's Chest (2006)[edit]

Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company arrests Will and Elizabeth for aiding Captain Jack Sparrow in the previous film. Beckett offers clemency if Will agrees to search for Jack's compass in a bid to find the Dead Man's Chest – and inside, the heart of villainous Davy Jones – which would give Beckett control of the seas. However, Jack wants the Chest to escape from an unpaid debt with Jones, who raised the Black Pearl from the seabed (after it was sunk by Beckett) and made Jack captain for 13 years in exchange for 100 years of service aboard Jones' ship.

At World's End (2007)[edit]

Lord Beckett gains power over Davy Jones, and with the help of Jones' ship, the Flying Dutchman, he is now executing his plans to extinguish piracy forever. To stand against the East India Trading Co., Will, Elizabeth, Barbossa, and the crew of the Black Pearl set out to rescue Captain Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones' Locker. As one of the Nine Pirate Lords, Jack is needed in order to summon an ancient goddess with the power to defeat Beckett's forces.

On Stranger Tides (2011)[edit]

Captain Jack Sparrow is on a quest to find the fabled Fountain of Youth and crosses paths with a former lover, Angelica. She forces Jack aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge, a ship captained by the infamous pirate Blackbeard, Angelica's father. Both are also in search of the Fountain; Angelica to save her father's soul, Blackbeard to escape a prophecy of his demise at the hands of a one-legged man. Joining the hunt is former pirate captain Barbossa, now a privateer in King George II's Navy, who is in a race against the Spanish for the Fountain.

Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017)[edit]

On May 29, 2013, it was announced that Norwegian directors Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg would be helming the film.[2] On August 22, 2013, it was revealed that the title of the fifth film would be Dead Men Tell No Tales, alluding to the line well-known from the Pirates of the Caribbean theme park attractions.[3][4]

A spokesman for the Australian Arts Minister, George Brandis confirmed that Dead Men Tell No Tales was set to shoot in Australia after the government agreed to repurpose $20 million of tax incentives originally intended for the remake of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.[5] According to Australian film industry sources, pre-production started in late September 2014 and filming is expected to commence in February 2015.[6]

In July 2014, Disney announced that Pirates of the Caribbean 5 would be released on July 7, 2017.[7]

Short film[edit]

Tales of the Code: Wedlocked (2008)[edit]

Wenches Scarlett (Lauren Maher) and Giselle (Vanessa Branch) fix each other up for their wedding, in which they would each marry their groom. Upon realizing that both their grooms were the same man, Jack Sparrow, the two wenches found themselves in an auction led by the Auctioneer. The short film serves as a prequel to The Curse of the Black Pearl, explaining just why Jack Sparrow's boat, the Jolly Mon, was seen sinking at the beginning of the whole story, and explaining why wenches Scarlett and Giselle were so upset with him, and it also implies how Cotton lost his tongue. The plot took inspiration from the "Auction scene" from the original ride.

The short was directed by James Ward Byrkit,[8] and was only included as a special feature in the US 15 disc 3D Blu-ray/2D Blu-ray/DVD + Digital Copy box set that includes Pirates 1-4; and in the similar UK 5-disc set.

Production[edit]

First film[edit]

In the early 1990s[9] screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio conceived a supernatural spin on the pirate genre after completing work on Aladdin, but there was no interest from any studio. Undeterred, the writing team refused to give up the dream, waiting for a studio to pick up their take on a pirate tale.[10] Disney had Jay Wolpert write a script based on the Pirates of the Caribbean, which producer Jerry Bruckheimer rejected, feeling it was "a straight pirate movie".[11] Bruckheimer brought Stuart Beattie in to rewrite the script in March 2002, due to his knowledge of piracy,[12] and later that month Elliott and Rossio were brought in.[11] Elliott and Rossio, inspired by the opening narration of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, decided to give the film a supernatural edge.[13] As the budget rose, Michael Eisner and Robert Iger threatened to cancel the film, though Bruckheimer changed their minds when he showed them concept art and animatics.[14]

In June 2002 Gore Verbinski signed on to direct The Curse of the Black Pearl, and Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush signed on the following month to star.[12] Verbinski was attracted to the idea of using modern technology to resurrect a genre, one that had disappeared after the Golden Age of Hollywood, and recalled his childhood memories of the ride, feeling the film was an opportunity to pay tribute to the "scary and funny" tone of it. Depp was attracted to the story as he found it quirky: rather than trying to find treasure, the crew of the Black Pearl were trying to return it in order to lift their curse; also, the traditional mutiny had already taken place. Verbinski approached Rush for the role of Barbossa, as he knew he would not play it with attempts at complexity, but with a simple villainy that would suit the story's tone.[15]Orlando Bloom read the script after Rush, with whom he was working on Ned Kelly, suggested it to him.[16]Keira Knightley came as a surprise to Verbinski: he had not seen her performance in Bend It Like Beckham and was impressed by her audition.[15]Tom Wilkinson was negotiated with to play Governor Swann,[12] but the role went to Jonathan Pryce, whom Depp idolized.[15]

Shooting for The Curse of the Black Pearl began on October 9, 2002 and wrapped by March 7, 2003.[12] Before its release, many executives and journalists had expected the film to flop, as the pirate genre had not been successful for years, the film was based on a theme-park ride, and Depp rarely made a big film.[17] However, The Curse of the Black Pearl became both a critical and commercial success.

Second and third films[edit]

Pirates of the Caribbean Sand Sculpture featuring Davy Jones and the Black Pearl

After seeing how well the first film was made, the cast and crew signed for two sequels to be shot back-to-back,[18] a practical decision on Disney's part to allow more time with the same cast and crew.[19] Writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio knew that with an ensemble cast, they weren't free to invent totally different situations and characters, as with the Indiana Jones and James Bond series, and so had to retroactively turn The Curse of the Black Pearl into the first of a trilogy.[20] They wanted to explore the reality of what would happen after Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann's embrace at the end of the first film, and initially considered the Fountain of Youth as the plot device.[21] They settled on introducing Davy Jones, the Flying Dutchman and the Kraken, a mythology mentioned twice in the first film. They introduced the historical East India Trading Company (also mentioned in the first film), which for them represented a counterpoint to the themes of personal freedom represented by pirates.[22]

Fourth film[edit]

Rossio and Elliot discovered the novel On Stranger Tides during production of Dead Man's Chest and At World's End and decided to use it as the basis for a fourth film. As Gore Verbinski was unavailable, Bruckheimer invited Rob Marshall to direct the film.[27] Elliott and Rossio decided to do a standalone film,[28] with a story that would support new characters,[29] and incorporate elements from the novel, such as Blackbeard, the Fountain of Youth and mermaids—the latter two having been already alluded to in the previous films.[30] Depp, Rush, Greg Ellis and Kevin McNally returned to their roles,[31] and the cast saw the additions of Ian McShane as Blackbeard and Penélope Cruz as Angelica, Blackbeard's daughter and Jack Sparrow's love interest.[32] A further addition was Richard Griffiths as King George II of Great Britain. After the costly production of two simultaneous films, Disney tried to scale down the fourth installment, giving a lower budget,[33] which led to cheaper locations and fewer scenes with special effects.[34] It was also filmed in 3D, with cameras similar to the ones used in Avatar.[27]

Filming for On Stranger Tides began June 14, 2010 and ended on November 19, 2010.[34][35] It was released in the United States on May 20, 2011.[36]

Fifth film[edit]

In the fourth film the cast and crew were told by Disney not to occupy their time in the near future, as the studio intended to shoot a fifth and sixth film back-to-back.[37] However, it was later stated that only a fifth film was in the works. On January 14, 2011, it was confirmed that Terry Rossio would write the screenplay for the fifth installment, without his co-writer Ted Elliott, the second Jerry Bruckheimer-produced film to do so after Déjà Vu.[38]Johnny Depp said that he would be happy to return as Captain Jack Sparrow saying "As long as we can put all the puzzle pieces together, I would most definitely consider it". Jerry Bruckheimer said that the fifth film would be a stand-alone film. It was reported that Terry Rossio finished the script for the fifth film, and he had handed it to Disney executives.[39] Speaking at the fourth film's press launch in Cannes, Depp said he would play the role for as long as it is popular with the public.[40] In August 2012 news surfaced that Johnny Depp signed on officially for the fifth film.[41]Geoffrey Rush had commented on returning as Hector Barbossa in the fifth installment, saying "If they keep shapeshifting this character, absolutely" as well as implying he may return as the villain.[42] He also said that Barbossa's megalomania "could explode in horrific ways."[43] In December 2014, Rush confirmed his return for the fifth installment, where his and Depp's characters were "at the heart of it and there's a whole new set of story lines."[44]

Orlando Bloom said he would like to return for the film if he was offered.[45] There was a report by Moviehole that, when asked about the film's plot, a separate Disney contact simply said: "Will Turner's story might not be finished".[46] At 2014 Oz Comic Con, Bloom said there were discussions on his return to the Pirates franchise and that he was "open to it".[47] There had been several interviews with actors Lee Arenberg[48] and Mackenzie Crook who both made statements about their return as Pintel and Ragetti. Crook also revealed that the film-makers had been in touch with his agent to discuss his availability.[49]

In October 2011, Jerry Bruckheimer confirmed that they are working on a script.[50][51] On January 11, 2013, Jeff Nathanson signed on to write the script for the film. On January 14, 2013, Disney announced that the film would be released on July 10, 2015.[52] On May 9, 2013, Disney announced its short list of directors included Fredrik Bond, Joachim Rønning & Espen Sandberg, and Rupert Sanders.[53] On May 29, 2013, Rønning and Sandberg were selected to direct.[54] On August 22, 2013, Rønning and Sandberg revealed that the title of the fifth film would be Dead Men Tell No Tales.[55] They also confirmed that they were working on the film, speaking highly of Jeff Nathanson's "funny and touching" script and that they are inspired by the first film, The Curse of the Black Pearl.[56][57]

On April 4, 2014 Johnny Depp said in an interview that Bruckheimer and Disney had invited him in to collaborate with the writer Jeff Nathanson. He also said that he wants to bring a Pirates film that's very fresh and different, implying that it might be the last one in the series.[58] Another interview on April 13, 2014 Depp was quoted in saying:[59]

"Everyone involved wants the script to be right and perfect. So we have gone on to do other things (in the meantime). We are still going to do the film together. I enjoy them immensely. They are super talented. They have a great sense of humor. I think they have a really fun approach to what we are going to do with the next 'Pirates.' Very happily and proudly, I have welcomed taking part in the story and working directly with the screenwriter (Jeff Nathanson)—he and I. It's working out really well that way. So I have high hopes for that 'Pirates 5' because if that's really the last one, which it probably is, I feel that we owe it to the audience who went and saw the films so many times. We’ll do it right and end it on a high note."

—Johnny Depp.

On September 10, 2013, Disney pushed back the film's initial 2015 release,[60] with sources indicating that a Summer 2016 release is likely.[61] Producer Jerry Bruckheimer revealed that script issues were behind the delay, and that Jeff Nathanson was at work on a second attempt based on a well-received outline.[62]

Later that month, Jerry Bruckheimer expressed that the film is "hopefully moving forward" and that it'll get going by this fall or the end of the year "if everything lines up properly." While noting that Johnny Depp is expected to reprise his role, the producer also said regarding Keith Richards' return, "I hope so. We'd love to have him back, so we'll see."[63] Bruckheimer declined to speculate about a sixth Pirates film, saying simply, "We make 'em one at a time."[64]

A spokesman for the Australian Arts Minister confirmed that the fifth installment was set to shoot in Australia after the government agreed to repurpose $20 million of tax incentives originally intended for the remake of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.[5] According to Australian film industry sources, pre-production started in late September 2014 and filming is expected to commence in February 2015.[6] This was officially confirmed by Disney and the Queensland Arts Minister on October 2, 2014, stating that filming will take place exclusively in Australia, being the largest production to ever shoot in the country. Village Roadshow Studios and Port Douglas were officially confirmed as filming locations.[65] On November 21, 2014, Australian actor Brenton Thwaites was in discussions to appear in the film.[66]

Reception[edit]

Box office performance[edit]

All Pirates of the Caribbean films were successful at the box office, with grosses of over $600 million, and all at some point ranking among the fifty highest-grossing films of all time. Two of the films had earnings surpassing the $1 billion mark, Dead Man's Chest and On Stranger Tides,[67] becoming the first of only three franchises with two films which have earned over $1 billion, the second being the Batman series and the third being Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The series is noted for its high quality of acting talent, and is one of the aspects of the films that is always praised.[93][94][95][96][97][98] The visual and practical effects are considered some of the best ever done on film,[97][98][99][100] so much so that audiences believed certain CGI elements of the films were real and done practically.[101][102][103][104][105] The plot and story to the first three sequels received mixed reviews, with the general consensus that they were too bloated and convoluted to follow.[106][107][108][109][110]